Chapter 375: Chapter 99 Michael Ovitz

“Well, that’s it for now, meeting adjourned,” Claude announced, and the attending executives secretly breathed a sigh of relief as they quickly rose to their feet and headed out.

“They seem quite terrified,” Adrian noted half-jokingly once everyone had left. He hadn’t said much during the entire meeting; aside from the necessary topics, most of the time, it was Claude adjusting, arranging, and criticizing, which is no wonder he always seemed to be overshadowed.

“Most of them are just putting on an act,” Claude said nonchalantly, waving his hand dismissively. “I didn’t put that much pressure on them. They just want to show they’re working hard. You have to be able to distinguish who the real workers are.”

“It’s okay, I don’t need to worry about that with you here,” Adrian spread his hands, appearing rather smug.

“You…” Claude glared at him, though he probably couldn’t help feeling a bit proud deep down.

“Alright, Crow, although there were some minor issues, overall, it’s a really good start. It’s not enough to support drastic changes to ABC yet, but we can’t wait much longer.” Adrian said, pointing at his head, “I still have lots of ideas up here.”

“Everybody Loves Raymond” finally premiered on ABC in mid-January ’96 after hurried casting and production due to well-positioned promotions plus Adrian’s antics, as well as the previous efforts to ensure the script didn’t leak out. The first episode’s ratings hit 10 percent, which meant that roughly 12 million people tuned in! Although these numbers couldn’t compare with “Friends,” it was a record high for ABC in recent years. And according to feedback, many people loved the show; it was warm, funny, humorous, and suitable for the whole family, so the viewership remained steady for the second episode.

This was undoubtedly a shot in the arm, not only filling the restructured ABC executives with joy but also making many critics start to think highly of them.

“Acquisition by AC Media has proven to be very correct. It’s only been half a year and things are already looking up. It may not be certain that this will continue, but it’s undoubtedly a great start. Had it been Disney, it would be unlikely for ABC to see such a dawn this quickly,” a financial magazine wrote thus.

However, although “Everybody Loves Raymond” had anticipated success, the reality show “Survivor” airing in the same period didn’t receive as warm a response. There was a high number of applicants, given the substantial reward for the winner, but the viewership was mediocre, neither sizzling hot nor too terrible.

“A group of people spending time in the wild, failing the goals leads to elimination – the concept is interesting, but… it feels like something is missing,” one viewer expressed during a survey.

“It sounds like it should be thrilling, but in reality, it’s different from what I imagined. So if I had better choices, I would definitely switch to another show,” another viewer opined.

“Adventure and excitement are the themes and highlights of this reality show! I don’t know how you all interpret it, but the first two episodes completely missed the mark. We have the island’s scenery, but where’s the island’s danger? Its exoticness? The thrilling experiences of the adventurers? Only the sensational parts of the voting out standoffs are done best. I hope you all seriously consider what the audience wants to see in this show,” Adrian had said during the meeting, one of his few remarks.

He couldn’t be sure that what he said was absolutely right, as he only briefly watched a few episodes of “Survivor,” after all, he only knew about the show from his past life. However, it wasn’t a problem; he would let the producers refine the program. These professionals were quite talented, needing only experience. Besides, “Everybody Loves Raymond” was doing well in the ratings, and if needed, he could bring out even more exciting series. The most crucial task was to build a top-notch reality show team; otherwise, they would make the same mistakes with those program ideas.

“Of course, we have the Miracle Director, someone who can cause political controversy in a country with a film,” Claude laughed heartily.

“Oh, come on, Crow, don’t start with those Jokers again,” Adrian said with a hint of helplessness as he waved his hand, “Those guys were just showing off, just like all politicians trying to gain capital from the opportunity, no different from Clinton campaigning for re-election. At least Clinton had some achievements in the economy, while they are only out for themselves.”

The proposal for Scottish independence not only survived public condemnation but also obtained support from several members of the Scottish Parliament, even though they knew it was impossible. Amidst media frenzy, the issue became quite inflated. Fortunately, most Scots weren’t particularly interested, and no uncontrollable situation arose.

Still, Adrian could take pride in his work. The original “Braveheart” had also stirred such a controversy but hadn’t attracted as much attention as it did now. This was all thanks to the reputation Adrian had built over time. Unbeknownst to many, he had amassed such a tremendous influence.

“OK, let’s not talk about that, but it seems like you have a pretty good opinion of Clinton. The president in ‘The Rock,’ that’s not modeled after him, is it?” Claude asked again.

“Of course not, I don’t think any president would feel that way–have you seen it already?” Adrian looked curiously at his best buddy.

“Of course, since it knocked ‘Braveheart’ off the top spot upon release and got so much praise, why wouldn’t I go see it?” Claude spread his hands.

In the second week of ‘Braveheart’s’ release, ‘The Rock’ also had its premiere, and then in just the three-day weekend, it raked in 28 million at the box office. With an attitude of unbeatable confidence, it was normal for it to knock ‘Braveheart’ off the top.

After all, Americans still prefer their own country’s movies, and this one was both explosive and exciting. The various events involving General Hammer at the beginning, the raid on the Naval weapons depot, and the intense fight in the Alcatraz bathroom were all classic and shocking. Adrian still remembered from his past life how someone had commented that if they were a soldier, they’d be willing to work under someone like General Hammer, not to mention Americans with their love for heroes.

With the music still composed by Hans Zimmer, it was just as uplifting and blood-pumping–Hans Zimmer is a highly productive composer, and with high productivity, there can sometimes inevitably be some repetition. In fact, when Adrian was collecting his information, he found that last year’s movie scores had shadows of the classic ‘The Rock’ score, so he hadn’t interfered too much.

The performances of the three leads were also quite splendid. Nicholas Cage was at the peak of his career, capturing the character’s image perfectly–sometimes full of charm, utterly panicked, sometimes fearlessly brave, and also possessing a unique sense of humor. For instance, at the end when the FBI director doesn’t believe Mason’s body was disintegrated, Cage squints his eyes but seriously responds, “Correct, it was vaporized,” in an “I’m the expert, trust me” manner that really makes you want to burst out laughing.

Not to mention Ed Harris and Sean Connery, both seasoned actors, especially Connery, the original Bond. With all these factors combined, it would be a surprise if the movie were not popular, so the Weinstein brothers were quite excited about the premiere results.

“If there are more movies like this, we might as well share some with them. Miramax and New Line are different after all, and it would be good to make Robert envious for a while.” After discussing various aspects of ‘The Rock’ for a few more sentences, Claude said this, then seemed to remember something and asked, “By the way, I heard Sean Connery…”

“I didn’t ask,” Claude shook his head, “Maybe someone else did, but I haven’t heard it, you know, a lot of things are just talk.”

What Claude wanted to ask was about the rumor that if Scotland didn’t become independent, Connery wouldn’t return–which is really quite silly. Many topics are simply statements or twisted interpretations by the media, either hyped or downplayed. Connery has returned to the UK before, and it’s hardly believable that he hasn’t been to Scotland.

“I was just a bit curious,” Claude shrugged.

“Be curious some other time, we’re almost out of time.” Adrian said, standing up after checking the time.

The two then left the meeting room together, walked to the building’s parking lot, and sat in their RV before starting the engine and resuming their conversation.

“What do you think, Claude?” Adrian asked.

“He’s very capable, the company’s status today isn’t just because of him, so the impact of him alone is still uncertain,” Claude thought for a moment before replying.

“But if we also manage to bring in the others–first off, whether or not that’s possible–our control would be weakened, wouldn’t it?” Adrian laughed.

Claude shrugged his shoulders in agreement, waiting for what he would say next.

“Having him alone is enough; he’s the CEO, who has the best grasp of the entire company’s structure, plus…” Adrian adjusted his position to make himself more comfortable, “you’ve got me, right?”

“Yeah, there’s you…” Claude suddenly let out a sigh, took out two cups from the car refrigerator, poured some purified water, and abruptly changed the topic, “I’ve acquired Victoria’s Secret. Do you have any good suggestions?”

Adrian, who was just about to drink, almost spat out his water. He had long forgotten the original advice he gave Claude. Although Charlize organized detailed reports and sent them to him every month, he always liked to have his female secretary sit on his lap and read aloud the parts he wanted to hear. With his mind afloat with such distractions, it was inevitable that he missed such news. However, on the other hand, even if he read the reports, he might not have paid attention.

“You really acquired Victoria’s Secret?” Adrian asked with a mock cough after a taste.

“Of course, it happens that they were in the midst of rebranding, seeking collaboration with television networks, and we own broadcasting companies like ABC. Moreover, the parent company wasn’t optimistic about their rebranding, and being a mainstream brand, we acquired it for not much cost. More importantly, this was your suggestion.” Claude spoke assertively, as if he had no personal stake and was solely considering it from the company’s viewpoint.

Adrian rolled his eyes in annoyance, “When we acquired the game studio and the animation studio, you weren’t this decisive and swift.”

“That’s because I couldn’t be certain of your judgment at the time, but now it’s different,” Claude shamelessly continued, “Come on, Ed, let’s hear it.”

“What else is there to say? We pretty much covered it last time. Any fashion brand starts off as mainstream; the key is to upscale it to luxury,” Adrian shrugged, “Aren’t they already rebranding? Haven’t they already held a fashion show? Sign a long-term deal with them to have all their shows broadcast by ABC. Start by signing a few supermodels as spokespeople, then form your own exclusive modeling team, elevate their profiles, and eventually aim to perform at the Super Bowl. Just like that.”

“You make it sound so simple,” Claude didn’t seem satisfied with just that.

“What else do you want?” Adrian spread his hands, “I’m not a professional, and neither are you. Pass these ideas on to those people, let them worry about it. All we need to do is provide the necessary support.”

“Okay, okay,” Claude laughed heartily, “I’ll leave it to them to handle. I’m looking forward to seeing your prediction come true.”

Soon, the RV pulled into a high-end golf club. Stepping out of the vehicle, they were led by the attendant to the private changing room, where casual clothes and golf equipment were already prepared. After changing, they drove a golf cart to area B where a middle-aged man, also casually dressed, was already there, occasionally swinging his club to send white balls flying.

“Hey, Michael, you look quite eager,” Claude greeted first.

“Of course, I can’t wait to show you what I’ve got, Claude,” the middle-aged man laughed, then turned his gaze to Adrian.

“Pleased to meet you, Miracle Director,” he extended his hand, “I’m Michael Ovitz.”

“Likewise, Michael. Please, call me Adrian or Ed,” Adrian smiled and shook hands with the Disney CEO.

“Do you like golf?” Michael Ovitz asked with interest.

“It’s okay, but my skills are pretty terrible, so today I’ll just be watching you two compete,” Adrian admitted.

“Whenever you see him play golf, you’d think letting him play is an act of cruelty, Michael,” Claude said seriously from the side.

“Well then, how about we have a few rounds between us first?” Ovitz didn’t insist and made a welcoming gesture.

The three of them started playing golf in this manner, occasionally chatting about some recent amusing anecdotes, much like most social interactions. However, Ovitz never touched on the main subject; he remained silent, and Adrian and Claude didn’t bring it up either. In such moments, the person who spoke last often held the advantage, so the three of them continued their probing conversation. Feeling pressured, Adrian also went on the course and swung a few shots. If Ovitz had not been quite cultured, he probably would have laughed without regard for his image.

“Alright, gentlemen, I won’t beat around the bush anymore. What are all these olive branches for?” Ovitz finally spoke up when they sat down at the small table to rest again. After all, he was an old fox; seeing the composed demeanor of Adrian and Claude, he knew they held enough cards, so it was better to clarify the topic and seize the initiative.

“Don’t tell me you want to invite me over to be the CEO. Claude is doing quite well now, isn’t he?” he joked, with a direct and somewhat impolite probe that often worked wonders.

However, after exchanging a look and sharing a slight smile, Adrian was the first to speak, “We own a talent agency.”

“A talent agency?” Ovitz raised an eyebrow, his expression a mix of a smile and a frown. “Am I hearing this right? You’re saying that AC Media also has a talent agency?”

“No,” Adrian said with a smile, shaking his head, “we own a talent agency, not AC Media.”

“Oh?” Ovitz raised his eyebrows.

“Simply put, there are no legal issues,” Claude added leisurely from the side.

“Okay.” Ovitz didn’t fuss about it. In fact, several large talent agencies in Hollywood had such arrangements; how could he not know this, having developed CAA himself?

“I think I understand your purpose. But why do you think I would agree? You should know I no longer want to do this,” Ovitz said casually.

“Really, Michael?” Adrian revealed an insightful smile, “Do you really not want to do this anymore, or is it because your old buddies have left that you’ve considered leaving? Do you really think you can make a big difference at Disney? Do you really believe Eisner is willing to share his power with others? You’ve been the CEO at Disney for 12 months now, right? I can guarantee that within six months at most, Eisner will have you step down. He needs a puppet, a spokesperson who reflects his own will, not a talent with their own mind!”

Ovitz maintained a calm demeanor, showing no change, but he didn’t answer these questions either, so…

A slight smile appeared at the corner of Adrian’s mouth, “You’re a successful businessman, Michael. I read reports about you when I was in school, and I admire your tenacious style. I know you have a keen eye; you once proposed to Eisner to acquire Yahoo, a pity he didn’t agree.”

“That’s normal; right now, there’s no visible hope of profits for Yahoo,” Ovitz shrugged, seemingly trying to salvage something.

“Even if he had agreed, Disney couldn’t have made the acquisition because most of the shares are in our hands,” Adrian said softly, finally seeing a hint of surprise in the other’s eyes.

“We have been following the IT industry since ’91. We have the most comprehensive data analysis library and control several promising websites,” Claude chimed in.

“Oh?” The surprise on Ovitz’s face deepened, and his calm expression began to show subtle changes. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to come to Qidian (wuxiaworld.site) to cast your recommendation votes and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)